St Augustines, Muheza (Tz)

St Augustines, Muheza, is a 270 bed Designated District Hospital located in the Tanga region of Tanzania. This is the hospital where it all started for us, when Mark and Kate lived and worked there for 5 months from November 2018. The first TNMHP style mesh hernia operation was carried out on the 27th November 2019 laying the foundations for all that has come since. During the time that Mark was there, 50 mesh hernias were performed. The service created is very much the model that the TNMHP is based on, the ‘Muheza Approach’. When Mark left, Kibaja and Kibula the two AMO surgeons were able to carry the service forwards. They have since been joined by the returning Dr Boniface, now a specialist surgeon and leading the Surgical Department in Muheza. The centre was officially ‘inducted’ into the programme on the 3rd March 2020, really as a trial run for the Programme.

In May 2023, despite the retirement of Kibaja, Muheza reached the incredible landmark of repairing 250 hernias with mesh. This epitomises the methodology of our approach and the commitment of all those involved, a truly sustainable service.